“He is dead honest. He calls a really good game,” the boy said.
Honest. It stuck in my mind then. And the thought’s still there.
When I was given a dozen newspaper columns recently (circa early 1990s) written by my mother and father I knew they were treasure and have read the bunch.
One written by my father in November 1992 is particularly noteworthy since Remembrance day is around the corner and - honestly - I learned something new about the man.
It begins:
“In 1944 I was stationed in barracks on a piece of land called ‘The Spit’ at Comox on Vancouver Island, B.C. About a half mile of water separated the spit from Comox and to get ashore we had to be inspected and travel to Comox on a real Liberty boat.” (Down Memory Lane: Navy Days)
I noticed the following three things upon first reading:
1. “I was stationed in barracks” - sounds like a military phrase to me, and he still used it in 1992. The military life did have an impact on him, for sure.
2. “The Spit at Comox on Vancouver Island, B.C.” - I didn’t know he spent part of his tour of duty as a merchant mariner on Vancouver Island. I’ve known for many years he trained in Halifax (thus the long motorcycle trip in June) and Scotland. I also know he was a dead honest man, but not one inclined to reveal his past. Now I have to plan to visit ‘The Spit.’
[“This wee boat travelled with me to Halifax in June”: photos GH]
[“The Walnut w walnut and metal ballast”]
3. “a real Liberty boat” - I love Liberty Ale from San Francisco. It has an anchor on the bottle. I wonder if the boat is related to the ale. I’ll sample a few ales while in B.C., then ask around.
I noticed and learned a lot more while reading the full article and now have a headful of memories - about a light-haired man of 24 who later became my father - to guide my thoughts next Thursday, Remembrance Day.
***
More details from ‘Navy Days’ to follow.
Please click here to read about an earlier trip down memory lane.
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